Umbilical bend-testing

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and methods related to umbilical bend-testing are described. For example, some embodiments may contain a three-level support structure, umbilical terminal locker, bending machine, compression testing device, and stress-strain collection system, and may be used for the bending fatigue endurance test for umbilical samples.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional App. No.61/973,220, Attorney Docket No. DMAR-005-IP, filed On Mar. 31, 2014,which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF PRESENT DISCLOSURE

This present disclosure relates to umbilical bend-testing. For example,the apparatus and methods disclosed herein may he used for the bendingfatigue endurance test for umbilical samples.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Umbilicals are commonly used in oil and gas underwater fielddevelopments. Apparatus and methods can be designed to test the bendingfatigue endurance properties of certain umbilical samples, andsuperiorities and defects of the umbilical samples can be fed back tothe producer of the umbilicals so that they can optimize their productsfor various purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the perspective view of an embodiment of theapparatus and methods for umbilical bend-testing;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the elevation view of an embodiment of theapparatus and methods for umbilical bend-testing;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an isometric view of an embodiment, withoutthe support structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, of the apparatus andmethods for umbilical bend-testing;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an elevation view of an embodiment, withoutthe support structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, of the apparatus andmethods for umbilical bend-testing;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing various views of an embodiment of theend-thrust bending device of the apparatus and methods for umbilicalbend-testing;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing various views of an embodiment of theterminal locker of the apparatus and methods for umbilical bend-testing;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the operations of the end-thrust bendingdevice and terminal locker of an embodiment of the apparatus and methodsfor umbilical bend-testing;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the operations of the transverse-tensionbending device of an embodiment of the apparatus and methods forumbilical bend-testing;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the operations of a four-point bendingtesting of an embodiment of the apparatus and methods for umbilicalbend-testing;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the operations of a compression testing ofan embodiment of the apparatus and methods for umbilical bend-testing;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This document discloses apparatus and methods related to umbilicalbend-testing. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show the perspective view and elevationview of an implementation of the apparatus and methods for umbilicalbend-testing, including a three-level support structure, umbilicalterminal locker, bending machine, compression testing device, andstress-strain collecting system. The support structure includes thelower support platform 1, the intermediate support platform 2, the uppersupport platform 3, and related ladders and handrails. Skidding tracksare arranged on each support platforms for related components. As shownin FIG. 2, the bending machine comprises end-thrust bending device 5 andtransverse-tension bending device 7. Two umbilical terminal lockers 4are equipped on both end, one on the end-thrust bending device and theother on the fixed end of skidding track of the intermediate supportplatform 2. Two compression testing devices 6 are installed with relatedV-plates or flat plates and corresponding supports. The compressiontesting devices 6 also can be used for four-point bending test.Stress-strain collecting system comprises a sensor system 8 and a straintester system 9 arranged on the upper support platform 3. Umbilicalsample 10 is placed on the intermediate support platform 2.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the isometric view and elevation view of animplementation of the apparatus and methods for umbilical bend-testing,without the three-level support structure, providing a clear display ofthe operational components of the implementation.

As shown in FIG. 5, the end-thrust bending device 5 comprises atravelling trolley 11 and a set of hydraulic arms 12. The guide wheelsets 14 and 15 are installed on the body of the trolley 13, and cangrasp the tracks in both horizontal and vertical direction, enabling thetrolley 11 to move back and forth under the control of hydraulic arms12. Rotating support 16 is fixed on one end of the trolley 11, on whichan umbilical terminal locker 4 can be installed through the shafts. Theumbilical terminal locker 4 can rotate around the shafts for the bendingof the umbilical samples.

FIG. 6 shows the umbilical terminal locker 4 at the fixed end of theumbilical sample 10. The terminal locker 4 can tighten the umbilical, aswell as the electric cables, hydraulic pipes and optic fiber connectorinside. A fixed rotating support 17 is installed to the end of skiddingtrack on the intermediate support platform 2 by welding or bolts. Inaddition, customizable quick connectors 18 can be installed to theterminal locker 4 depending on the compositions of the umbilical sample,and can apply internal pressure to the umbilical samples during the testto assist with the analysis of the complex compression performance.

FIG. 7 shows the operations of the end-thrust bending device 5 andterminal locker 4 of an implementation of the apparatus and methods forumbilical bend-testing. The bend-testing can be conducted as follows:connect the travelling trolley 11 and hydraulic arms 12, with thetransverse-tension bending device 7 on lower support platformdisconnected from the umbilical sample 10; the hydraulic arms 12 candrive the travelling trolley 11 to move back and forth; with the motionof the trolley 11, the umbilical sample 10 is bent with the rotation ofthe terminal fixer 4 under the effect of gravity; the stress-strainsensor system 8 can be connected to the sample 10 for data collecting,which can then be analyzed by a strain tester system 9; by controllingthe frequency and amplitude of the hydraulic arms 12, the end-thrustbending fatigue endurance properties of the umbilical sample 10 can beobtained.

FIG. 8 shows the operations of the transverse-tension bending device 7of an implementation of the apparatus and methods for umbilicalbend-testing. The bend-testing can be conducted as follows: disconnectthe travelling trolley 11 and hydraulic arms 12 and connect theumbilical sample 10 to the hydraulic arm of the transverse-tensionbending device 7 using a customized fixture for the umbilical sample 10;the fixture can also connect to the stress-strain collecting system 8for data collection at the same time, which can then feed the collecteddata to a strain tester system 9 for analysis; with the motion of thehydraulic arm of the transverse-tension bending device 7, the umbilicalsample 10 is pulled to bend; by controlling the frequency and amplitudeof the hydraulic arm of the transverse-tension bending device 7, thetransverse-tension bending fatigue endurance properties of the umbilicalsample 10 can be obtained.

FIG. 9 shows the operations of a four-point bending testing of animplementation of the apparatus and methods for umbilical bend-testing.The bend-testing can be conducted as follows: disconnect the travellingtrolley 11 from the hydraulic arm 12, disconnect the umbilical sample 10from the hydraulic arm of the transverse-tension bending device 7, andconnect the umbilical sample 10 to the compression testing device 6using a customized fixture; by controlling the hydraulic arms of the twocompression testing devices 6 to extend and shrink asynchronously,four-point bending fatigue endurance test can be conducted on theumbilical sample 10.

FIG. 10 shows the operations of a compression testing of animplementation of the apparatus and methods for umbilical bend-testing.The bend-testing can be conducted as follows: customized V-plate (orflat plate) 19 is installed to the terminal of the hydraulic arm of thecompression testing device 6, while a corresponding V-plate (or flatplate) support 20 is arranged on the track on the intermediate platform.The hydraulic arm of the compression testing device 6 extends to applyexternal pressure to the umbilical sample 10. By controlling thepressure load, the compressive resistance properties of the umbilicalsample 10 can be tested. One or two compression testing device 6 can beused as required.

A stress-strain collecting system, including a sensor system 8 and astrain tester system 9, can be arranged on the upper support platform 3.The strain tester system 9 can include a computer with suitablesoftware, which can analyze the stress-strain data collected by thestress-strain sensor system 8 connected to the umbilical sample 10, andobtain the bending fatigue endurance properties of the umbilical sample10.

In some implementations, the sensor in the sensor system 8 can be adisplacement sensor, and can be arranged on the upper support platform3, and used for testing the minimum bending radius of the umbilicalsample 10.

Other Embodiments

Various other adaptations and combinations of features of theembodiments and implementations disclosed are within the scope of thepresent disclosure. For example, the hydraulic cylinders in the presentdisclosure can be replaced by any of the tensioning devices that canextend and retract in a controllable way. It is to be understood thatwhile the invention has been described in conjunction with the detaileddescription thereof, the foregoing description is intended to illustrateand not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scopeof the appended claims. Other aspects, advantages, and modifications arewithin the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for umbilical bend-testing,comprising: a support structure; two umbilical terminal lockers; abending machine; a compression testing device; and a stress-straincollecting system.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thesupport structure further comprising a lower support platform, anintermediate support platform, an upper support platform, and skiddingtracks on said support platforms.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the terminal locker is connected to a quick connectorcustomizable based on the composition of a testing umbilical sample,through which different internal pressure can he applied to the testingumbilical sample.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thebending machine further comprises an end-thrust bending device and atransverse-tension bending device.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 4,wherein the end-thrust bending device comprises a connector to connectwith the terminal locker and a trolley moveable by connected hydraulicarms.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compressiontesting device comprises a customized fixture that is connected to ahydraulic arm.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein thecustomized fixture is a V-plate or fiat plate.
 8. An apparatus accordingto claim 6, wherein a support is provided at the opposite side of thecustomized fixture.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thestress-strain collecting system comprises a sensor system and a straintester system.
 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the sensorsystem further comprises a displacement sensor.
 11. An apparatusaccording to claim 9, wherein the strain tester system further comprisesa computer with suitable software for analyzing stress-strain datacollected by the sensor system.
 12. A method for umbilical bend-testing,comprising: connecting a testing umbilical sample to two umbilicalterminal lockers; connecting the trolley of the end-thrust bendingdevice to the movable terminal locker; connecting a sensor system to thetesting umbilical sample; moving the trolley using the hydraulic arms ofthe end-thrust bending device to bend the testing umbilical sample; andanalyzing the data obtained from the sensor system using a strain testersystem to obtain the end-thrust bending fatigue endurance properties ofthe testing umbilical sample.
 13. A method for umbilical bend-testing,comprising: connecting a testing umbilical sample to two umbilicalterminal lockers; fixing the positions of the two terminal lockers alongthe longitudinal axis of the testing umbilical sample; connecting atransverse-tension bending device with the testing umbilical sampleusing a hydraulic arm with a customized fixture at its end attaching tothe testing umbilical sample; connecting a sensor system to the testingumbilical sample; moving the hydraulic arm to bend the testing umbilicalsample; and analyzing the data obtained from the sensor system using astrain tester system to obtain the transverse-tension bending fatigueendurance properties of the testing umbilical sample.
 14. A method forumbilical bend-testing, comprising: connecting a testing umbilicalsample to two umbilical terminal lockers; fixing the positions of thetwo terminal lockers along the longitudinal axis of the testingumbilical sample; connecting two compression testing devices with thetesting umbilical sample using two hydraulic arms with customizedfixtures at their ends attaching to the testing umbilical sample;connecting a sensor system to the testing umbilical sample; moving thehydraulic arms to bend the testing umbilical sample; and analyzing thedata obtained from the sensor system using a strain tester system toobtain the four-point bending fatigue endurance properties of thetesting umbilical sample.
 15. A method for umbilical bend-testing,comprising: connecting a testing umbilical sample to two umbilicalterminal lockers; fixing the positions of the two terminal lockers alongthe longitudinal axis of the testing umbilical sample; connecting acompression testing device with the testing umbilical sample using ahydraulic arm with a customized V-plate or flat plate at its endattaching to the testing umbilical sample; connecting a sensor system tothe testing umbilical sample; moving the hydraulic arm to apply externalpressure to the testing umbilical sample; and analyzing the dataobtained from the sensor system using a strain tester system to obtainthe compressive resistance properties of the testing umbilical sample.